Christopher Wilde

Tragic Book No. 9

Christopher Wilde

Tragic Book No. 9

Date

2005

Edition Size

55

Media

Calligraphy, Collage, Dot matrix, Etching, Frottage, Inkjet, Leather, Letterpress, Lithograph, Offset print, Photography, Silkscreen, Stamping, Stencil, Wood

Binding

Coptic, Pamphlet, Saddle, Stapled

Format

Artist Book

Publisher

Artichoke Yink Press

$ 2,750.00

Unavailable


View Collectors

Bucknell University

Emory University

Harvard University, Fine Arts Library

Temple University

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

\\\”things that are so tragic that they are funny or beautiful or poignant\\\”; No. 9 is a reproduction of a website about Chernobyl, final book in series

Started in 1993, the Tragic Book series has grown in stature and complexity in the 12 years of its making. Over one hundred different artists and writers from Holland, Germany, Japan, Canada, Spain, and the U.S. have contributed to TB in its nine incarnations. The stated subject matter has been since its inception “ Things that are so tragic that they are funny or beautiful or poignant”. Sort of a reformulation of the classic Mel Brooks line” Tragedy+Distance=Humor”. First conceived as the opposite of a comic book, a compendium of tragedies large and small. Using the Trojan horse cloak of a comic book format to present the weird and disgusting, the hilarious and wince-inducing all in one cost-effective magazine. These were the heady days of the D.I.Y. ‘Zine revolution in the U.S., so alternative media was a watchword of youth culture. People started their own record labels, publishing houses, and distribution services that were independent of the extant structures. So to put together a magazine and give it away or trade it with your pals was not all that strange of an act for the time. As the issues progressed, so did the number of people who wanted to contribute. The fortuitous introduction to the world of Book Arts led to more complex productions and methods of reproduction. Machines were pushed past their tolerances, bindings from the 13th century were updated and utilized to construct heretical texts. In general, it was catch as catch can, with stolen copies and bumped books and counters, hasty and energetic rather than planned and focused, but appropriate for the people who were the recipients. In some cases the artists chose to edition their work for the Tragic Books; in other cases, the design work and printing were done by conscripts and mercenaries. The series always was made for the artists and writers, as a nexus of communication. Many of the artists and writers published in the Tragic Book are internationally recognized in their respective fields. Pieces first published in the TB’s have found their way to larger audiences through the auspicious of N.P.R., McSweenys, World War Three, and many others.

Issue two- edition of 15- cover by J. Dostal
Issue three- edition of 20- cover by K. Allerslev
Issue four- edition of 25- cover by M.Wagner
Issue five- edition of 25- cover by D.Lundahl, M. Weisbrod, M.Hayward
Issue six- edition of 30- cover by S.Schooler
Issue seven- edition of 35- cover by D.Graham
Issue eight- edition of 45- cover by S.Teplin, R.A.Munn, S.Cook
Issue nine- edition of 55 cover by M.Weber, K.Gritt, R.A.Munn, S.Cook

Materials:
wood, copper, carbon, polyvinyl acetate, cotton, leather, canvas, plastic, latex, paper, tarlatan, cheesecloth, paint, ink, blood, sweat, tears, excrement, ejaculate, urine, roplex, bamboo, herbs, stickers, thread, string, compact disk, parking ticket, plastic magnifying glass, keys, wax, Mylar, shroud, fiberglass, figurines, matches, binders board, Davey board, wheat, bhodi leaf, gold, silver, aluminum, steel,

Processes:
Rubber stamp, inkjet, black and white and four color electrostatic transfer, offset lithography, silkscreen, letterpress, stencil, frottage, aspiration, decollage, collage, sewing, lamination, gilding, dot matrix, cancellation, grometting, riveting, copper patina, etching, chine colle, photography, Photoshop, google, four track, mini disk, reason, protools, scanning, fiery, gocco, perforation, punched, folded, lenticular interlacing, painting, calligraphy, lettered, numbered, signed, singed, burned, drilled, bitten, walked on, dusted, boxed, wrapped, sealed, spray mounted, drawn, cut, threatening, cajoling, commanding, begging, weeping, gnashing of teeth, pacing, sequencing, telephoning, emailing, visiting, writing, researching, chasing down leads, tapping, smoking, stealing, subverting, comodifying, codifying, ordering, recontextualizing, designing, looking, seeing, feeling, breaking, healing, breaking rules, circuit bending, lateral thinking, kung fu, Jedi mind tricks, rocking out, measuring, judging, copying, inventing, inverting, distillation, theorizing, pontificating, ranting, railing, hollering, thanking, honoring

Bindings:
Closed spine Coptic, saddle staple, bi-furcated pamphlet stitch, quarter bound with linen tapes, exposed French cord.

Contributing artists to issue number 9, and other issues they contributed to:
1.     Kurt Allerslev, 3-9
2.     Carey Acenzo, 9
3.     Pumpkin Boy, 8-9
4.     Alison Brashaw, 9
5.     Rob Roy Chalmers, 9
6.     Sara Cook, 8-9
7.     Henrik Drescher, 9
8.     Micheal Duffy, 9
9.     Chrysse Everheart, 9
10.  Patrick Flynn, 7-9
11.  Dylan Graham, 5-9
12.  Kathryn Gritt, 7-9
13.  David Last Heagle,3-9
14.  38) Studebaker Livingstone Hoche,1-9
15.  Samantha Hunt, 8-9
16.  Jordan Isip, 9
17.  Shelly Jackson, 9
18.  Yanthe Jackson, 8-9
19.  Adam Januz, 8-9
20.  M.T.Karthik, 9
21.  Blue Lamia, 9
22.  April Manning, 2,5,9
23.  David McClimans, 8-9
24.  Amy Mees, 8-9
25.  R. Anthony Munn, 8-9
26.  Reverend Bronwyn Pandemonium, 8-9
27.  Sara Parkel, 7-9
28.  Laure Parsons, 9
29.  Eliana Perez, 9
30.  Alain Pilon,9
31.  Jan Rolletchek, 8-9
32.  Keith Serchio, 9
33.  Peter Spagnuolo,7-9
34.  Katherine Streeter, 9
35.  Robert The, 9
36.  Steve Timm, 6-9
37.  Lt.Red Thomas, 9
38.  Amanda Park Taylor, 7,9
39.  Scott Teplin, 7-9
40.  Mark Wagner, 3-9
41.  Uwe Warnke,9
42.  Sean Star Wars,9
43.  Marshall Weber, 5-9
44.  Lawrie Wenner, 7-9
45.  Christopher K. Wilde,1-9
46.  Kento Winkler,3-9
47.  Nugent J. Vitallo, 4-9
48.  Elena Zabatalongo,9
49.  Otfreid Zeilke, 9